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(No' Mudel.)

A. L. GILBERT. COMBINED MANUSCRIPT HOLDER AND PLACE INDICATOR.

No. 422,342; Patented Feb 25, 1890.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELBERT L. GILBERT, OF MILWVAUKEE, \VISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO IVISON, BLAKEMAN & 00., OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

COM BINED MANUSCRIPT-HOLDER AND PLACE-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 422,342, dated February 25, 1890.

Application filed June 10, 1839 Serial No. 313,749- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LADELBERT L. GILBERT, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of WVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Combined Manuscript-Holder and Adjustable Place-Indicator; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which ,form a part of this specification,

My invention relates to improvements in a combined manuscript-holder and adjustable place mark or indicator, and the same is explain ed by reference to the acconipanyin g drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side View thereof, showing the manner of holding the manuscript. Fig. 2 is a front view, and Fig. 3 is a detail showing a rear view thereof.

Like parts are represented by the same reference-letters throughout the several views.

The manuscript-holder consists of the supporting plate or eas el A, spring-actuated clamp 13, supporting-base O, and bracket D. The plate or easelA is preferably adj ustably connected to the base 0 by a bracket, which is preferablyform ed in two parts D and D. The lower part D is secured to the base 0 by screws a, while the upper part D is secured to the plate or bracket A by screws 1), and the two parts D and D are clamped together by the screw E and hand-nut F. One end of the screw E is rigidly affixed to one piece of the bracket, while the other end of the screw E passes through an aperture formed therefor in the end of the other piece of the bracket, and the two pieces thus connected are clamped together at any desired point of adjustment by turning down the hand-nut F upon said clamping-screw E. It is obvious that by this arrangement of the base 0, bracket D, and easel A the manuscript-holder will be supported in an upright position for use upon the table by its own gravity. The manuscript is held in place against the front upper side of the bracket A, as shown in Fig. 1, in part by its'own weight and in part by the spring-actuated clamp B and place-mark or indicating-arm G. The spring-actuated clamp 13 is pivoted or hinged to the lower end of the plate or bracket A by the hinged bearings I I. Said clamp is preferably made rectangular in shape, with the exception of the central portion or downward U-shaped bend H, which central portion I-I forms a lever below and upon the opposite sides of the hinged bearings I I, .to which one end of the spiral spring J is attached, and the opposite end of said spring is drawn upward and is connected at a fixed point to the plate or easel A. The U shaped bend or lever II is inclined at an angle outwardly from its "pivotal support I, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby it is drawn upward by the tension of said spring J, and

the upper portion of said clamp B is drawn down firmly upon the manuscript. K is a supporting bracket for the lower arm or U-shaped bend I-I, against which said armor bend IIrests when the clamp B is thrown back from the paper. hen the clamp B is thrown back from the paper, the U-shaped bend or arm H is brought slightly below the center of its pivotal supports I, whereby the action of the spring J holds said clamp in its open position against said bracket K. Thus it is' obvious that the same spring J serves to hold said clamp firmly in both its open and closed position.

The upper end of the plateA is preferably provided with a retaining-keeperL,which,as shown in Fig. 1, serves to hold the upper leaves of the manuscript as they are thrown back .over the end of the plate.

The indicating-arm G is connected with the guide-rods M M (located upon the rear side of the plate A) by the plate P, hinge-bearings d d, and retaining-clamps NN N, upon which guide-rods said place mark or arm is adapted to be slid from line to line, as may be desired, to indicate that portion of the manuscript which is being read. The place mark or arm G is provided with a spring 0, which is affixed at one end to said arm and at the 9 other end to the connecting-plate P. The recoil of the spring 0 is such as to hold the indicating-arm G down against the manuscript with sufficient force to prevent it from 'sliding of its own gravity, but at the same time will permit said arm to be easily moved upward and downward over the surface of the manuscript.

A bracket or stop S is attached to the lower end of the plate A, which serves to support the manuscript and prevent it from sliding downward upon the face of said plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the manuscriptsupporting plate or easel A, of man uscript-retaining clamp B, hinged to the lower end of said plate A and provided with a downwardprojecting arm or lever H, extendingpast the pivotal attachment or hinge of said clamp B, and spring J, aifixed at one end to the lower or outer end of said arm or lever H and con- .nccted at its opposite end at a fixed point to the supporting-plate A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the. manuscript supporting plate A, of the spring-actuated clamp 13, pivoted to the lower end of said plate and provided with a downward-projecting arm or lever ll, extending past the pivotal attachment or hinge of said clamp B, spring J, afiixed at one end to the lower or outer end of said arm or lever II and connect ed at its opposite end at a fixed point to the supporting-plate A, said clamp being adapted to bear against the lower end of the thereonsupported manuscript, and the adjustable indicating-arm or place-mark G, supported from the rear side of said plate by retaining-guideways, upon which it adapted to be moved and adjusted, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a manuscriptsupporting plate A, of the adjustable indicating-arm G, arm-retaining plate P, to which said arm is pivoted or hinged, supportingguideways M M, supported at their respective ends from the under side of said plate A, and arm-retaining spring 0, affixed at one end to said arm G and at its other end to the sliding plate P, the recoil 01": said spring 0 being adapted to retain said indicating-arm G in contact with the manuscript as the same is adjusted upon said supporting-guideways H, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the plate A, of the supporting bracket or stop S, spring-actuated clamp B, clamp-supporting bracket K, adjustable indicating-arm G,supporting-guideways M M, with which said indicating-arm is connected, and retaining-keeper L, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the manuscript-supporting plate A, provided with a spring-actuated clamp B, adjustable indicating-arm G, and a supporting-bracket and supporting base 0, said bracket being affixed at one end to said base 0 and at its opposite end to said plate A, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with the manuscriptsupporting plate or easel A, of the base C and the angular connecting-bracket consisting of two parts D and D, clalnping screw E, and hand-nut F, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADELBERT L. GILBERT.

Witnesses:

Ms. B. ERWIN, C. '1. BENEDICT. 

